A Lesson in Accuracy

Accuracy is a characteristic we all are looking to have in our games, especially with the shorter irons. Apart from some fundamental keys, like solid balance, there is one particular swing trait all accurate golfers seem to have adopted. On their downswing they get their shaft in line with their lead arm.

If you can emulate this technique in your swing… you will notice how much easier control and keep the ball on-line. Although, some advocates of the two-plane swing may disagree, I like to see my students get into this position as it makes the rest of the downswing incredibly easy and automatic. It allows you to make a more aggressive move into the ball, guarantees you do not need to make any last minute swing manipulations to your swing to ensure you’re coming into the ball on path and in-line.

To find this position you need to work on your backswing path and your transition at the top of your backswing. Work on your path first, as it will drastically affect your positioning at the top of the backswing. An on-path or slightly inside swing path, with adequate width should set you properly at the top… initiate the downswing with your hips unwinding and your arms dropping down (this is very important – if your shoulders lead the downswing movement, your arms will start down on a steep/over-the-top path)… and you should be able to find this position on your downswing. You may call this position “finding the slot”, and although you’re right, this position will let you find the center of the slot – every time.

The best way to work on this if you’re solo is to take a video camera down the line that is setup so that it is level with your hand weight at address (much like the angle in the picture to the right). From here you can have a good look at your shafts position as you start your downswing.